Gaza fuel embargo 'damaging humanitarian aid efforts' 25/04/2008 - 13:08:05
The current fuel embargo in the Gaza strip could spark a humanitarian crisis, a major international charity has warned today.
Only half of patients have been able to travel to Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) health facilities, which are now operating on an emergency stockpile.
This has forced MSF teams to limit their visits to the most severely ill patients, who make up only one fifth of the patient population of MSF post-surgical care programs. There is a waiting list of 90 persons who have not yet received any health care.
“The cessation of our activities will result in a severe deterioration of all of our patients’ general state of health,” said Duncan McLean, head of mission.
“Currently, MSF is operating from its emergency stockpile and has no more than 10 days worth of fuel. Unless supplies resume, the situation may very quickly become tragic.”
Diesel and petrol have been unavailable on the market for the past week.
This shortage is primarily due to a tightening of the embargo in October 2007 and again in January 2008. Since that time, fuel shipments to the Gaza Strip have been progressively decreasing.
An attack of Palestinian militants on Gaza’s main fuel depot at the beginning of April and a general strike among fuel distributors have further restricted supplies.
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